Luiz Felipe Scolari, who coached Brazil's national soccer team to this summer's World Cup semifinals, only to suffer a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Germany, has resigned his position.

Scolari submitted his resignation to Brazil's Soccer Confederation after Saturday's 3-0 loss to the Netherlands in the third-place playoff, the soccer body said in a statement posted Monday on its website. The organization, known by its Portuguese-language acronym CBF, said it had accepted Scolari's resignation as well as that of the coaching staff.

Although calls for his resignation arose following Brazil's crushing loss last Tuesday to Germany, the team's worst result in World Cup history, Scolari had indicated last week that he wanted to stay on as coach. He defended his squad's achievements this summer—it was Brazil's first trip to the semifinals since winning the Cup in 2002—and said that he and the team shouldn't be judged on the basis of one epic loss.

But doubts about Scolari's tenure intensified after Brazil's lackluster effort against the Netherlands.

As hosts of the 2014 tournament, with supposed home-field advantage, Brazil was widely regarded as the favorite. Before the tournament began, Scolari had said that the minimum that was expected of his team was to win the Cup.

But although the Seleção made it through the opening round, its victories against the likes of Croatia and Cameroon weren't convincing, and it only managed a scoreless tie with Mexico in the opening round.

It eliminated a scrappy Chilean side on penalty kicks, then edged Colombia in an ugly quarterfinal match in which Brazil's star striker, Neymar, suffered a severe back injury that put him out of the remainder of the tournament.

Against Germany, the eventual champions, Brazil's defense suffered a catastrophic breakdown that resulted in four German goals being scored in a matter of minutes.

Known as Felipão, or Big Phil, Scolari led the Seleção to victory at the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. After the team fell short of expectations at the 2006 and 2010 Cups, Scolari resumed leadership of the national squad in 2012.

During his second tenure as national team coach, Scolari led Brazil in 29 matches, with 19 wins and four defeats. Last year Brazil won the Confederations Cup, a sort of World Cup warm-up.

But this summer the team failed to fulfill the inordinate expectations that constantly surround the five-time World Cup champions: to play beautiful, creative, attacking soccer while also dominating the pitch.

Ever since Brazil won its third World Cup in 1970 with a star-studded lineup that included Pelé and Jairzinho, each subsequent team has had to compete not only with its opponents, but with the ghosts of Brazil's former greatness.

With Scolari's departure, speculation has turned toward his possible replacement. The three most frequently mentioned names are: Alexandre Gallo, current manager of Brazil's under-20 year-old national team; Adenor "Tite" Bacchi, former coach of Corinthians of São Paulo; and Muricy Ramalho, the coach of São Paulo Futebol Clube.

Pele had plenty of help. So did Romário. And Felipão made sure Ronaldo had plenty of help when Brasil won the Copa in 2002. For him to go with a team that had Neymar and ten other guys (including a Julio César who has seen better days) is nothing short of idiotic.

Where were Kaká, Robinho, and many others who could have helped this team?

Neymar's agent said something to the effect that Scolari was an old idiot, arrogant, a disgusting individual, very full of himself, and ridiculous.

I hope Gulati is burning up the airwaves talking to Phil about the great job that awaits him with the USMNT. Klinsman only took the team to places where they've already been. With Scolari on the market, this is a great opportunity to move forward.

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